1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an opening/closing device that opens and closes an opening/closing member and to an image reading apparatus, such as a scanner, having the opening/closing device for the opening/closing member.
2. Related Art
Typically, scanners, serving as image reading apparatuses, in particular, so-called flat-bed scanners, which read an image with a reading sensor moving below a glass document table, have a cover that covers or uncovers the glass document table. Although some scanners use an automatic document transport device (ADF) that covers or uncovers the glass document table instead of the cover, this application will discuss an example configuration in which the cover covers or uncovers the glass document table.
JP-A-2006-186771 discloses a configuration in which a document pressing member formed of an elastic material, such as sponge, is provided on the back of a cover, i.e., a surface facing a glass document table. Hence, it is possible to uniformly press a document with the document pressing member to obtain a good reading result, when the cover is closed.
However, documents vary in thickness. In particular, book-type documents have large thicknesses. When the document is thick, although it is possible to press the document at a position near a pivot shaft of the cover, it is impossible to press the document at a position away from the pivot shaft. Hence, as disclosed in JP-A-2001-041226, some scanners are configured such that the pivot shaft of the cover (or “lid” in JP-A-2001-041226) is movable in a top-bottom direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the glass document table), so that the center of pivot of the cover may be moved up and down, depending on the thickness of the document.
When the cover is rotated in a direction in which it is opened from a closed state, for example, a base end (i.e., an end closer to the pivot shaft) of the cover moves to the back of the scanner. Thus, a space in which the cover pivots is needed behind the scanner. Furthermore, when the cover in a closed state is opened, the cover is pivoted from a closed state, via an upright state, until it is stopped. Hence, a large space in which the cover pivots is needed, not only behind the scanner, but also above the scanner.